Why are policies and procedures important to the running of Sutton Dinghy Club?
Clubs need policies for a number of reasons. Policies formalise and document the club's rules and procedures and they can be used as a reference in case a dispute or a controversial incident occurs. Policies also provide a how-to guide for the committee, staff, members and volunteers and is particularly useful when new committee members or volunteers come on board. Documented policies and procedures are critical components of our club's risk management plan. The following sections outline key policy areas that the Committee in Sutton Dinghy Club has considered and documented.

Safety Policies and Procedures
The overall aim of the safety statement and policies are to make sure that all the club members, employees and guests of the club can enjoy the sport of sailing in the safest possible environment. In doing this, however, it must be recognised that, whilst every possible precaution can be taken, participation in sailing, as with any other water-based physical activity, does have risks which cannot be anticipated.

Code of Conduct
The SDC Code of Conduct document provides staff, members, instructors, trainees and parents with a clear guide on the club's expectations regarding acceptable behaviour.

Garda Vetting
Sutton Dinghy Club in its role as Sailing Centre and as a Community Employment Project sponsor is mindful of the fact that some of our members and staff work in roles with unsupervised access to children and young people. Garda Vetting is a process whereby an approved organization submits a request to the Garda Vetting Unit to check or identify if an individual has convictions or prosecutions on record.